Update:Ace Capitol intern Bryan Fitzgerald just completed a grueling unscientific poll of state workers enjoying lunch on a beautiful spring day. His story:

75 state workers can't be wrong

I just asked 75 people to make a choice between lag pay and furlough. The most popular answer: lag pay!

Actually, that’s not entirely true — the most overwhelming consensus this afternoon was, “I think Gov. Paterson should go on furlough.” But if state employees had to choose between one or the other, and couldn’t go with neither, 47 said — to paraphrase Def Leppard — lag some lag pay on me, while 28 would go with the furlough.

And not a single one of out the 75 would go on the record with their name for comment (which, by the way, is very frustrating for journalists).

“I’ve been told not to comment by my superiors,” one man said, offering a response I got from about 10 others that I questioned.

Pro-furlough folk who spoke on the condition on anonymity said for the most part that they could use the day off.

“Sunny, a little windy — great day for boating today,” one pro-furlough man said.

Those who favored lag pay mostly just wanted their pay.

“At least I’ll get (my money) back at some point,” said one woman who works for the Comptroller’s office.

“With lag pay, you’re just stalling the budget process,” said one pro-furlough man. “They need to force The Man” — presumably Paterson — “to do something and get (the budget) done.”

Some chose furlough because they didn’t care for waiting several years for their money.

“If I’m not going to be paid, I’d rather not be here,” said one furlough voter. “What do I care if I get my money six or seven years from now?”